Hypothetical example to help illustrate my point:

 

John Whitebred Executive IV graduates from college, and before he even has his diploma in hand, his father, John Whitebred Executive III and John II have already made the necessary phone calls to their buddies at other companies to set John IV with a cushy job he in no way, shape or form deserves based strictly on his academic credentials and skills.

 

Boardrooms across corporate America are chock full of people like John IV and his father and grandfather, who used their "leg up" in the crony circles to make sure their exalted family retains power and wealth, at the expense of others more qualified who didn't have the benefit of such connections.

 

Ultra-wealthy, prestigious families such as my example are doing everything in their power to make sure they and others like them from uber-wealthy, prestigious families maintain that position of power, to the detriment of those who would love to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps."

 

Happening every day at every level. Family connections get people jobs they normally wouldn't. Should the wealthy not be able to do what maybe 90% of the population try's to do?

What was the question again?

 

The concept of white privilege and whether it exists. I provided examples in posts 115 and 119 of how this happens all the time in society.

The concept of white privilege and whether it exists. I provided examples in posts 115 and 119 of how this happens all the time in society.

 

Nah, that's empire building. White privilege occurs in kitchen at McDonalds.

The concept of white privilege and whether it exists. I provided examples in posts 115 and 119 of how this happens all the time in society.

 

The problem with your argument again is you confuse race with economic advantage. Michael Jordan's kids have an advantage over 99.9% of kids born in this country . Not because of their race but because of his econmic status. I personally in a free society have no problem with this. I'll continue to state over and over in 2014 socioeconomic status matters much more than race. I'm guessing most poor white children which their are many more than poor black children don't feel this privilege some on here feel is a no brainer that exists .

 

Jim you have a problem with rich people helping their children succeed which whether you want to admit it or not is seperate from a discussion based solely on race.

The problem with your argument again is you confuse race with economic advantage. Michael Jordan's kids have an advantage over 99.9% of kids born in this country . Not because of their race but because of his econmic status. I personally in a free society have no problem with this. I'll continue to state over and over in 2014 socioeconomic status matters much more than race. I'm guessing most poor white children which their are many more than poor black children don't feel this privilege some on here feel is a no brainer that exists .

 

Jim you have a problem with rich people helping their children succeed which whether you want to admit it or not is seperate from a discussion based solely on race.

 

I have a problem with rich people using their wealth and position in society to harm others. Sometimes that happens when John Whitebred Executive IV gets a high-paying gig despite his being retarded or incompetent. But it happens in other ways, too.

 

I agree that socioeconomic status plays a big role, and perhaps the biggest. But it doesn't end there, and to act like that's the sole factor is being obstinate.

 

I also know that one of Michael Jordan's kids would be far more likely than me to be pulled over at random on some backroad in Ky or in some high-dollar bedroom community suburb where the population tends to be quite homogenous. I keep thinking back to that rant by Chris Rock about how no white man would swap positions with him, despite his wealth.

I have a problem with rich people using their wealth and position in society to harm others. Sometimes that happens when John Whitebred Executive IV gets a high-paying gig despite his being retarded or incompetent. But it happens in other ways, too.

 

I agree that socioeconomic status plays a big role, and perhaps the biggest. But it doesn't end there, and to act like that's the sole factor is being obstinate.

 

I also know that one of Michael Jordan's kids would be far more likely than me to be pulled over at random on some backroad in Ky or in some high-dollar bedroom community suburb where the population tends to be quite homogenous. I keep thinking back to that rant by Chris Rock about how no white man would swap positions with him, despite his wealth.

 

While Chris Rock's act was funny it was false. How many white kids would give anything to be Lebron James or any rich pro athlete ?

 

I don't dispute the law enforcement angle although I think its much different than 30 years ago. What I do dispute is the sole factor of being white helps you get into a school or get a job it just isn't true in a large majority of cases in both education and the business world today.

 

The other thing I find funny about people having a problem with parents helping their kids out is the false idea they wouldn't do the same thing if given the same opportunity . We all no matter what are economic status receive benefits by who we know or who referred us. Sometimes its based on performance and other times just for being acquainted. The negative tone I sense in your posts is more about scale than the mere fact a parent dare help their child get ahead.

I have a problem with rich people using their wealth and position in society to harm others. Sometimes that happens when John Whitebred Executive IV gets a high-paying gig despite his being retarded or .

You shouldn't use the derogatory word retarded. It's called the R word much like the N word. It refers to mentally handicapped people as being stupid or idiotic, which isn't true of them. Maybe if you had family like that you would understand.

You shouldn't use the derogatory word retarded. It's called the R word much like the N word. It refers to mentally handicapped people as being stupid or idiotic, which isn't true of them. Maybe if you had family like that you would understand.

 

Gosh, I thought you were against political correctness. Who knew?

The problem is they are already viewed as successful within the crony circle because of their birthright. People like this will continue to be propped up by their family's massive wealth and personal connections and never face the true consequences for their failures. George W. Bush's failures in the business world come readily to mind in this case. No matter how he screwed up, somebody was always there to throw more money at him. Kinda like welfare of the wealthy.

Your view of American business is scary. Early in my career, I worked closely with two grandsons of the founder of a major U.S. company (Fortune 200 before a series of corporate spin-offs), so I have a much different perspective.

 

The two grandsons each started their careers managing the small subsidiary where I worked as an engineer. I never wasted a second fretting over the fact that they began their careers two rungs above me on the corporate ladder.

 

The way I looked at my situation is that my paychecks never bounced, I was paid what I was worth at that time, and I was certainly not qualified to manage the company myself. I never once heard my manager who reported directly to the two grandsons complain that he was robbed of an opportunity either.

 

What happened to the grandsons? Both eventually became CEOs of their own large companies. They had relatives who had the same family ties as they did who never panned out as managers. Shareholders prospered, thousands of employees earned livings working for their company. I feel lucky to have crossed paths with both men.

 

Whatever faults Donald Sterling has, he has done far more good during his lifetime by providing good paying jobs to his employees than most of us ever will. I agree with you about the NBA, if they had a problem with Sterling being a racist, then league should have taken action when Sterling's actions revealed his character flaws years ago.

Your view of American business is scary. Early in my career, I worked closely with two grandsons of the founder of a major U.S. company (Fortune 200 before a series of corporate spin-offs), so I have a much different perspective.

 

The two grandsons each started their careers managing the small subsidiary where I worked as an engineer. I never wasted a second fretting over the fact that they began their careers two rungs above me on the corporate ladder.

 

The way I looked at my situation is that my paychecks never bounced, I was paid what I was worth at that time, and I was certainly not qualified to manage the company myself. I never once heard my manager who reported directly to the two grandsons complain that he was robbed of an opportunity either.

 

What happened to the grandsons? Both eventually became CEOs of their own large companies. They had relatives who had the same family ties as they did who never panned out as managers. Shareholders prospered, thousands of employees earned livings working for their company. I feel lucky to have crossed paths with both men.

 

That's great. Sounds like they were capable people. You should consider yourself lucky. You could have ended up working for a bunch of incompetent, arrogant jerks who use their money in the wrong ways.

 

Whatever faults Donald Sterling has, he has done far more good during his lifetime by providing good paying jobs to his employees than most of us ever will. I agree with you about the NBA, if they had a problem with Sterling being a racist, then league should have taken action when Sterling's actions revealed his character flaws years ago.

 

Wow. Just, wow. :no:

 

We're talking about a guy who thinks of himself as the master of his plantation, and the players are the slaves. He views his employees as dirt, and treats them as such.

That's great. Sounds like they were capable people. You should consider yourself lucky. You could have ended up working for a bunch of incompetent, arrogant jerks who use their money in the wrong ways.

I have worked for incompetent, arrogant jerks who were not born with silver spoons in their mouths. There is no reason to disparage people simply because they were born into wealthy families who founded and grew their business into a global conglomerate. Jealousy never put a dollar into anybody's pocket.

 

 

 

Wow. Just, wow. :no:

 

We're talking about a guy who thinks of himself as the master of his plantation, and the players are the slaves. He views his employees as dirt, and treats them as such.

Does he now? Do his players not get paid? Did they not sign contracts and are they not free to resign now or go the free agency route when their contracts expire?

 

You make a lot of assumptions about somebody you have never even met. I would have expected that some of his former players would have gone public long ago if they believed that they had been treated like slaves on a plantation. A little hyperbole is a fine thing sometimes, but...wow. Just, wow.

I have worked for incompetent, arrogant jerks who were not born with silver spoons in their mouths. There is no reason to disparage people simply because they were born into wealthy families who founded and grew their business into a global conglomerate. Jealousy never put a dollar into anybody's pocket.

 

 

 

Does he now? Do his players not get paid? Did they not sign contracts and are they not free to resign now or go the free agency route when their contracts expire?

 

You make a lot of assumptions about somebody you have never even met. I would have expected that some of his former players would have gone public long ago if they believed that they had been treated like slaves on a plantation. A little hyperbole is a fine thing sometimes, but...wow. Just, wow.

 

Lots of stuff on the record about this guy. Do some reading. If you can still defend him after that, that's on you.

Lots of stuff on the record about this guy. Do some reading. If you can still defend him after that, that's on you.

I am not defending his racism, so please don't imply that I am. What I am saying that his players and former players were paid very well for their services. To say that he treated them like slaves is ridiculous to the extreme.

 

Let us not forget that the NAACP had planned to award Donald Sterling a Lifetime Achievement Award before the clandestine recording of Sterling was made public.

 

Apparently, Mr. Sterling did a pretty good job of fooling a lot of people but you say that you know exactly how he feels and thinks about his employees. I judge people on their actions - good and bad because I have no special powers that give me insight into people's thoughts and emotions.

 

As they say, hindsight is 20-20 but the fact is that nobody is going to return the millions that Sterling paid out over the years now that they suddenly learned that the man who signed their checks is a racist. I assume that at least some of that money was put to good use.

 

Sterling may be a bad guy but he is no 21st century plantation owner.

Gosh, I thought you were against political correctness. Who knew?

 

Not in this case.

All you have to do is say sorry, bad choice of word.

I am not defending his racism, so please don't imply that I am. What I am saying that his players and former players were paid very well for their services. To say that he treated them like slaves is ridiculous to the extreme.

 

I said he thinks of his employees as his slaves, and treats them as beneath him. Especially if they are black or women. This is on the record.

 

Let us not forget that the NAACP had planned to award Donald Sterling a Lifetime Achievement Award before the clandestine recording of Sterling was made public.

 

The LA chapter of the NAACP has taken a public flogging for this. Not a good choice of defense.

 

Apparently, Mr. Sterling did a pretty good job of fooling a lot of people but you say that you know exactly how he feels and thinks about his employees. I judge people on their actions - good and bad because I have no special powers that give me insight into people's thoughts and emotions.

 

Again, this stuff is all on the record.

 

As they say, hindsight is 20-20 but the fact is that nobody is going to return the millions that Sterling paid out over the years now that they suddenly learned that the man who signed their checks is a racist. I assume that at least some of that money was put to good use.

 

Sterling may be a bad guy but he is no 21st century plantation owner.

 

Does whether or not "nobody is going to return the millions" Sterling paid to them somehow make him a good person? Trying to understand the line of thinking on this.

 

And Sterling will go to his grave — sooner rather than later, it seems — still thinking of himself as the plantation boss. The Rollie Massimino and Elgin Baylor incidents come to mind.